"Relating to Baldwin County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to define the Stockton Landmark District within the county and to prohibit the annexation by local law any property within the district into any municipality."

Friday, October 26, 2012

Setting the Record Straight: The Truth about Amend. 3

This week, our Stockton Landmark District Q&A is devoted to debunking some common misconceptions and misinformation that seems to be swirling about concerning Amendment 3. Amendments are confusing in general and while ours is short, some folks may find it hard to believe it is as straightforward as it seems. Things like that just don't happen in politics. Where's the catch you ask? Guess what, there is no catch! Really, there isn't. And here's why:

-NO effects on taxes- Amendment 3 has absolutely NOTHING to do with money or taxes. Absolutely nothing.

-NO zoning or restrictions on land use- This is important to understand. Many people are familiar with other historic districts that impose restrictions and limit property owner rights. The Stockton Landmark District does NOT do this. You can paint your house any color you want, you can buy and sell property as you see fit. No board or any other governing body will oversee the District. Absolutely NOTHING about our lives and property in Stockton changes. Absolutely nothing.

-Stockton CAN be annexed or re-incorporated in the future. Amendment 3 does NOT permanently prevent annexation by another municipality. It simply gives Stockton's residents the right to vote on annexation, re-incorporation, or keeping things just like they are. Amendment 3 draws a barrier of protection around Stockton and prevents our residents from waking up one morning and learning that Stockton no longer exists. This scenario can happen without this legislation in place.

-Amendment 3 does NOT affect anyone or any place in Alabama except for Stockton and it has NO impact on our way of life in Stockton, it just protects it. It asks nothing of our residents and places no restrictions on them. It just gives us the long treasured right to vote. That's it! No strings attached. No bait and switch.

If you have any questions or concerns about Amendment 3, please do not hesitate to comment below or email us at stocktonlandmarkdistrict@gmail.com. The last thing we want is a misinformed voter to vote "no" when they would have voted "yes" had they had all the facts. Thanks for sharing this post with others! It's an important one.

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Your Vote Counts!

On November 6th, vote YES for Amendment 3 on the Alabama State ballot. This will designate the tiny community of Stockton as Alabama's 1st Landmark District. As a Landmark District, the residents of Stockton will be given the right to vote should a larger municipality propose annexation. This amendment has NO effects on taxes, zoning, land use or anyone in the state. Help us preserve the rich history, resources, and uniqueness of this place we call home!